The present invention relates to a bait casting fishing reel and, more particularly, to an improved level wind mechanism forming a part of a bait casting reel.
The bait casting fishing reel has become the reel of choice among skilled fisherman, particularly when used for surf casting, deep sea fishing and bass fishing. Because of the habitat favored by bass, accurate casting is required to avoid having the line or bait become tangled in various obstacles, such as logs, branches and water plants. Skilled anglers find that they can more accurately cast with a bait casting reel than with a spinning or spin casting reel.
Bait casting reels typically include a level wind mechanism located in front of the reel to help to insure that the fishing line is evenly wound upon the spool as it is reeled in. The general design of the level wind mechanism has remained unchanged for over 100 years, and is typified by that illustrated in FIG. 1. (See also, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,204,125 to Dayton). The level wind mechanism 1 employs a screw or shaft 2 mounted between the reel side plates 3 for rotation in parallel alignment with the spool 4. The shaft 2 comprises a worm gear that has a continuous thread 5 cut in both directions so that the thread 5 crosses back on itself multiple times along the axis of the shaft. The shaft 2 includes a sleeve, block or equivalent structure 6 slidingly mounted thereon that includes a pawl or claw (not shown) that engages the thread 5 so that, as the shaft 2 is rotated by means of the handle 7, the sleeve traverses back and forth in front of the full width of the spool 4. The sleeve also supports a line guide 8 through which the fishing line is threaded. Accordingly, the line guide 8 moves back and forth in front of the spool as the line is wound in, in order to evenly distribute the line on the spool.
The level wind is generally a complicated mechanism requiring several small parts and precise machining, particularly for the threads of the worm gear. The worm gear is especially susceptible to wear at the cross-over points of the continuous thread and, consequently, to malfunctioning. A typical bass fisherman makes about one cast per minute, so that, during a normal day of fishing he may make as many as 500 casts. The length of a typical cast is sixty feet. Retrieving a sixty foot cast results in the line guide block reciprocating on the worm gear between 5 and 6 times (forth and back) as the cast is reeled in. Therefore, the line guide block will reciprocate from 2500 to 3000 times. Thus, the potential for wear of the worm gear, particularly at the cross over points of the thread, is apparent.
The continuous thread is also subject to fouling from various elements, as they are exposed to the elements, including dirt, sand and salt spray, and run very loose tolerances due to the pawl having to turn around at the ends of the worm gear. In contrast, the other gear sets enjoy a closed environment with tight tolerances.
Due to these reliability issues, many salt water reels do not include a level wind, thus requiring the user to manipulate the line by hand in an attempt to evenly wind the line along the spool. The level wind mechanism is also one of the more expensive components of the reel assembly and requires major disassembly to repair. The level wind mechanism is also sufficiently complex to make it virtually impossible to repair in the field.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide for a fishing reel having an improved level wind mechanism.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a level wind mechanism that is simple to manufacture, long wearing, and easy to install.
These objects, as well as others which will become apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings and following description, are provided by a fishing reel with side walls with a spool shaft rotatably supported therebetween. The spool shaft supports the spool that holds the fishing line. A handle shaft is provided that includes a driving gear that engages a pinion on the spool shaft for winding in the fishing line upon the spool.
A generally transverse shaft is rotatably secured between the side walls in front of the spool. The transverse shaft is adapted to be rotated by the driving gear, and is formed with a single continuous groove substantially along the length thereof that extends approximately 180xc2x0 about the shaft in a first direction and then reverses direction to extend approximately 180xc2x0 in the opposite direction. As can be appreciated, this means that the groove does not cross over itself anywhere along the length of the transverse shaft.
A block carrying a line guide is slidingly received on the shaft, the block including a pawl that engages the thread so that, as the shaft is rotated by the handle, the block and its associated line guide move back and forth in front of the spool, to evenly distribute the line on the spool as it is wound in.
In another aspect of the invention, the transverse shaft is formed of multiple parts comprising a central shaft and a two or three-piece sleeve that is received on the shaft has the thread formed therein. The sleeve is formed of identically-shaped parts that generally include interlocking portions to secure the parts of the assembled sleeve together.
The invention contemplates several distinct embodiments for the transverse shaft, each which includes an elongated sub-shaft that typically carries a gear that is engaged by a gear on the handle shaft so that, upon rotation of the crank handle, the sub-shaft is rotated, thus causing the line guide to move back and forth in front of the spool.
In a first embodiment the transverse shaft includes a two-part cylindrical sleeve adapted to be mounted on the sub-shaft, each sleeve having an inner cylindrical portion with a face perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transverse shaft and an outer cylindrical portion having a helically-shaped lip that defines the groove or thread for receiving the pawl associated with the line guide when assembled on the sub-shaft. The perpendicular face of the inner cylindrical portion of each sleeve includes a radially opposed key and keyway for interlocking the two sleeves to each other.
In a second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the interlocking members comprise a peg a hole.
In a third embodiment, also similar to the first embodiment, the face of the inner cylindrical portion forms an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the transverse shaft. No interlocking members are provided on the face of the inner cylindrical portion. Instead, the two parts are secured to each other by, e.g., an adhesive.
In a fourth embodiment, the transverse shaft includes a three-part sleeve adapted to be mounted on the sub-shaft. An inner cylindrical portion is provided onto which is mounted two outer cylindrical sleeves, each having a helically-shaped lip to define the groove or thread. The interior surface of each outer cylindrical sleeve includes a longitudinal spline that mates with a complementary-shaped longitudinal groove on the exterior of the inner cylindrical portion for securing the three pieces to each other.